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Jackie Lee Houston Shining Stars August 2012

This program rewards individuals that go above and beyond their job responsibilities in exemplifying one of the five supporting commitments. These commitments are Safety, Clinical Excellence, Courtesy & Caring, Healing Environment and Efficiency.

SAFETY

AWARDED TO: Sonia ThorneRECOGNIZED BY: Katy Hentz

SITUATION/TASK: SDS has a small disaster on July 12th. One of the Eversoft water tanks blew a hole in itself and through the wall into the clean sterile storage. The tank not only spewed water but copious amounts of its saline product that softens the water. The saline product was the consistency of a thick mud. The water and mud flooded OE rooms 3 and 4 and also flooded the anesthesia workroom and damaged the Physical Therapy Department.

ACTION: Sonia Thorne, RN, Charge Nurse, discovered the mess and immediately called for help in cleaning it up. If it was not for Sonia’s quick thinking and action, the SDS would have had to been closed down. There were 12 surgical cases scheduled that day. Sonia coordinated and directed the clean up along with the following staff: Staff recognized at SS Breakfast.

RESULT: All demonstrated excellent team work and I am very grateful for what they accomplished that day. Due to the dedication and hard work of this team, the SDS was up and running in less than 2 hours and the surgical cases had begun.

I was on vacation that day and was not informed until the following day. Sonia knew that I would have come in and she did not want to disturb my day off. Sonia handled the situation beautifully and I thank my lucky stars that Sonia is my employee.

COURTESY/CARING

AWARDED TO: Analiza TengcoRECOGNIZED BY: Patient

SITUATION/TASK: "…the real reason I write is to give thanks to one very special nurse who stayed with me during the night of my surgery, a night I will never forget. Though my surgery was a success, my tolerance for all of the drugs was not. I cannot ever remember being that sick in my life."

ACTION: "…Analiza, my night nurse never left my side. Or should I say at the foot of my bed at the computer trying to figure out what she could do to relieve my pain and what I actually thought was poisoning my body! I can't tell you what a comfort it was to have her in constant motion whether adjusting my ice, pillows...finding something to calm my stomach. Though I know this all sounds so dramatic...it was a comfort to have a woman who had the level of compassion that I needed so badly that night. In the present medical industry state of affairs that seems to be on a fast track at all times, it is a blessing to know there is one person who represented the original ancient women healers who started the healing profession by growing, collecting herbs and turning them into potions, salves, curing anything from snakebites to depression in their respective neighborhoods."

RESULT: The patient is slowly healing at home and is extremely thankful to Eisenhower because of the care and the impression that Analiza made on this women; this night for her genuine individual compassionate interaction. She ends her letter saying that she keeps Analiza in her prayers every day and asks Him to keep her and her family safe exactly the same way Analiza made her feel on that most memorable night.

HEALING ENVIRONMENT

AWARDED TO: Emmanuel TesoreroRECOGNIZED BY: Phil Daly

SITUATION/TASK: We had a very, very upset patient who, due to his medications, became verbally abusive to a staff member. After calming the patient down, I moved the staff member to another team and asked Manny to take care of this patient. His team was quite a distance from this patient but he immediately agreed to take over the patient.

ACTION: A few minutes later I was walking by the patient’s room and saw Manny, already in the patient’s room, changing the linens and chatting to the patient. Without being told, Manny had realized that this was a delicate situation and changed his working priorities to put this patient as number one. Later, Manny was walking the patient, chatting to him and the patient was much calmer.

RESULT: Manny’s thoughtfulness contributed to making the patient calm and content. A great example of service recovery. Manny’s prioritization skills, his ‘can do’ attitude, his taking on an additional patient far away from his assigned team without question embodies health care as it should be. Well done!